Morocco Foils Attack, Dismantles ISIL-Linked Cell With 10 Arrests

Moroccan authorities say they have broken up a cell linked to the ISIL affiliate in Sahel Province (ISSP), arresting 10 suspects and preventing what they described as an imminent attack.

The Central Bureau of Judicial Investigations, Morocco's principal counterterrorism agency, announced on Monday that simultaneous raids across several cities led to the arrests and the recovery of a substantial cache of materials linked to attack planning.

What investigators found

According to the agency, the coordinated operations turned up bladed weapons, military-style clothing, bomb-making instructions, digital material and chemicals. Investigators also seized a car they suspect had been modified for use in a bombing or a ramming attack.

A warehouse tied to the cell contained butane gas cylinders and pressure cookers packed with nails and fitted with electrical wiring — components commonly associated with improvised explosive devices.

Police said the group's plans were "in an advanced stage of preparation," underscoring the seriousness of the alleged plot.

Morocco's recent record

Morocco has largely avoided the wave of violence affecting other parts of the region. The most recent attack on Moroccan soil by an ISIL-affiliated group took place in 2023, when three men killed a police officer in Casablanca.

Even so, authorities remain wary of recruitment. They say around 130 Moroccan citizens have been drawn into the ranks of the ISSP in recent years, highlighting a domestic dimension to a threat that is largely rooted beyond the country's borders.

A wider regional surge

The arrests come against the backdrop of intensifying activity by armed groups affiliated with ISIL and al-Qaeda across the Sahel and West Africa.

In neighbouring Mali, the al-Qaeda-linked group Jama'at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin (JNIM) has taken advantage of a collapse in government control to seize towns and cities, and even laid siege to the capital in November.

Mauritania has also faced cross-border attacks by affiliated fighters along its frontier with Mali, while ISIL and al-Qaeda offshoots have expanded their footprint in Burkina Faso and Niger.

Against this regional picture of growing instability, Morocco's announcement signals continued vigilance by its security services. Do you think the country can stay insulated from the wider Sahel crisis? Share this article and join the conversation.

Source: Al Jazeera English